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Charlotte Iris Alvord (1815-1879)
}} Biography Charlotte Alvord was born 25 September 1815 at Lockport, Niagara County, New York; daughter of Thaddeus Alvord & Sally Wellington. She had 6 older half sisters. Her mother died when she was 9 years old and for the next 10 years Charlotte was raised by her father. Charlotte was baptized a member of the LDS Church 14 March 1833 at Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan, the same day as her future husband, Lyman Curtis. She was among those called to be a member of Zion's Camp, a relief expedition sent to Missouri to help the saints there. They traveled about a thousand miles to reach Missouri and were released on 3 July 1834. Charlotte married Lyman Curtis on 26 July 1834 in Clay County, Missouri, probably at Liberty. After they were married they chose to stay with the saints in Clay County, Missouri but in 1836 they were forced to move to Caldwell County, near where Far West was founded. On 22 April 1839 Joseph Smith arrived in Quincy and directed the saints to settle Dr. Halland's land near Commerce, Illinois. It became the central gathering place for the Saints and was renamed Nauvoo. Charlotte & Lyman took their family up the Mississippi River to La Crosse, Wisconsin where they worked to get timber for the Nauvoo temple. Zions Camp Participant One of the most interesting episodes in the early history of LDS Church was the march of Zion's Camp (1834). The members of the Church in Missouri were being persecuted, and the Prophet Joseph made it a matter of prayer and received a revelation on February 24, 1834. The Lord instructed the Prophet to assemble at least one hundred young and middle-aged men and to go to the land of Zion, or Missouri. (See D&C 130:19–34.) Zion’s Camp, a group of approximately one hundred and fifty men, gathered at Kirtland, Ohio, in the spring of 1834 and marched to Jackson County, Missouri. By the time they reached Missouri, the camp had increased to approximately two hundred men. Lyman Curtis (1812-1898) married Charlotte Iris Alvord (1815-1879) on 26 July 1834, just barely 30 days after Zions Camp was disbanded in Clay County, Missouri where they would settle with many of the other saints. Both Lyman and Charlotte had participated in the march from Ohio to Missouri. Move to Illinois On 22 April 1839 Joseph Smith arrived in Quincy and directed the saints to settle Dr. Halland's land near Commerce, Illinois. It became the central gathering place for the Saints and was renamed Nauvoo. Charlotte & Lyman took their family up the Mississippi River to La Crosse, Wisconsin where they worked to get timber for the Nauvoo temple. By 1846 the Saints were forced to begin leaving Nauvoo and they traveled with the Saints to Winters Quarters. The night after they left Nauvoo, Charlotte gave birth to a son, who died due to exposure. Lyman was called to travel with the first group of Saints to Utah in 1847. While he was gone, Charlotte and the children stayed with Lyman's brother Moses and his family. Lyman returned to his family in Ohio in the fall of 1847. They spent the next couple of years preparing for the journey west, which they began in the Spring of 1850. They arrived in SLC in October 1850. Lyman built an adobe home for the family. When they arrived in the valley, they still had 2 sacks of buffalo jerky. They raised wheat, corn, and acquired five pigs along with the fish caught in the canyon streams; they felt like they had a fine living. 2nd Marriage: Peter Elliott In 1853, Lyman was called on a mission to help settle southern Utah and to teach the Native Indians. His family moved to American Fork during his absence. While Lyman was away on his mission, he did not correspond with the family. Why he did not is unknown. There appears to have been frequent visitors between Salt Lake and southern Utah, but he did not send word to his family. After not hearing from him for several years, he was presumed dead-after 5 years. The presiding brethren of the church initiated a policy to care for the widows in the territory, which was when a young man marry and the girl's mother was a widow, he would marry the mother as well so that she might receive protection & sustenance. At that time Charlotte's daughter Adaline had chosen to marry Peter Mack Elliot and so Adaline and Charlotte were both married on the same day, 28 September 1856 by President Brigham Young to Peter Mack Elliot. Charlotte had two children by this marriage. When Lyman's mission ended in 1859, he returned to his family in Utah. What their reactions were upon his arrival is not told but Lyman and Charlotte didn't live together after this time. Lyman settled in Salem, Utah, but where Charlotte lived, we do not know. Charlotte though, on 26 September 1861, had the marriage to Peter Mack Elliott annulled. Charlotte died 9 September 1879 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. She was granted a divorce from Peter Mack Elliott 24 February 1931 by President Heber J. Grant, through the request of her children. She had 12 children in all. One son not listed below: -Thomas Curtis (1846-1846)